Stop-motion for knitting-machines.



R. C. GRUBER.

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APYLIUATION FILED JUNM4,1912.

1,071,910. Patented sept.2,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. C. GRUBER.

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE24,1912. 1,071,910 Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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ROBERT C. GRUBER, OF SPRING CITY, PENNSYLVANIA. i

STOP-MOTION FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2,1913.

Application led June 24, 1912. Serial No. 705,603.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT C. GnUnEn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring City, in the county of Cheste' and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop- Motions for Knitting-Hachines; and I do declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make. and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic stop motions for knitting machines.

The object et the invention is to provide a simple and etiicient stop motion device operable reliably on encountering a hole in the fabric to instantly stop the machine.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of this class which may be applied to any circular knitting machine having a revolving needle cylinder and dial and a central stud, and which positively stops the machine instantly when, for any reason, a stitch is dropped or a hole in the fabric occurs, thereby dispensing entirely with menders and latchups.

IVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a knitting machine equipped with this attachment; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of a circular knitting machine equipped with this improved device, said device being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment detached. Fig. 4t is a top plan view of the plate or casting of the attachment, partly in section; Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said casting applied; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof on line 7-7 of Fig. t. Fig. S is a transverse section on line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment illustrated, a circular knitting machine A is shown provided with the usual cross bars B, having a central collar C that receives and holds a center stud D, here shown in the form of a tube, said tube forming a support for the attachment constituting this invention and which will presently be described. A drip cup E, which is usually secured to the center stud in longitudinal alinement there with, is here shown otl'set therefrom to provide for the passage through the tube D ot a portion of the stop motion device.

This stop motion device, which constitutes this invention, comprises a plate or casting l ot any suitable shape, here shown substantially rectangular with one end rounded and which is provided with an aperture Q for receiving the center tubular stud D to which it is shown secured by a set screw 3. A strip 4, preferably of light spring steel, is adjustably mounted on the rounded end ot the plate or casting 1 and is here shown provided with longitudinal slots 5 at its opposite ends by means ot' which the strip or band 4 is secured to the opposite side edges of the plate l by screws (3 which pass through said slots 5 and engage screw threaded sockets in the side edges of the plate. This strip or band a may he adjusted toward or away from the plate or casting 1 a suitable distance to adapt the attachment for use with tubular Yfabric oi" diilerent diameters, and it is designed for the purpose of Spreading and guiding the fabric and causing it to run evenly over the hole detecting element or feeler to be described. The tubular :fabric E is usually drawn through rollers to flatten and smooth it before it is wound on a spindle and, consequently, this curved band 4: is necessary to prevent the collapse of the fabric when passing over the hole detecting element to insure the accurate working of said element. This curved band or guide a has a longitudinal slot 7 arranged midway of its ends for a purpose to be described.

The hole detecting element or :tecler arm is shown in the form of a blade or pin S pivotally mounted intermcdiately ot' its ends on the lower tace oi' the plate l, and is adapted to swing freely in a horizontal ulane. One end of this arm or blade 8 pro Jects over said aperture 2 and extends nearly across the aperture, and the other end extends through the slot 7 ot' the band 4t and is provided with a finger 9, here shown slightly rounded and in hook shape., and which is adapted to bear or feel against the inner face ot` the knit tube E as the fabric rotates and to engage in any hole therein such as may be formed by the breakage of a knot in the yarn, the dropping of a stitch or run down, caused by imperfect needles. This arm or blade 8 is adjustably mounted on the casting or plate 1 to permit it torbe moved outward and inward to adaptit for use with fabric tubes of varying diameters, and the plate is here shown perforated for this purpose. A light coiled spring 1 0Ais secured at one end to the plate 1 and at its other end to t-he feeler arm 8, and is designed to return the arm to operative position after Vit has been oscillated by engagement with a holein the fabric, as will be hereinafter described. A stop rodll, slightly longer than the tubular bearing stud D, extends through said stud and is adapted to slide freelytherein with its lower end normally resting on the inner end of the arm 8, whichv is arranged in the path of said rod. An arm 12 issecured at one end to the upper end of the rod 11 and extends laterally therefrom, and a light coiled spring 13 connects this arm with the stud D and exerts itstension to force said rod 11 downwardly.V Ai link 14k depends from the free end of said arm 12 and connects it with a crank rod 15. This crank rod 15 has an arm 16 mounted for longitudinal adjustment thereon, and which is adapted to extend in position to engage a needle guard or triplever G, which controls the belt shifting mechanism, when: said crank arm is actuated and thereby stops the machine. This needle guard or trip lever is commonly employed on circularl knitting machines having a cylinder and dial and is termed a needle protector, as it is usually arranged in proximity to the needles in order that should any punching or imperfection occur near the needles the bunch will engage the trip lever through which mechanism to be described is actuated to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley of the machine, thereby immediately stopping the machine to permit the imperfection in the fabric to be repaired.

The crank rod 15 lies, when the device is applied, directly under the cross bar B ex' tending toward one of the needle guards with its arm 16 positioned to throw said guard olf and thereby shift the belt and stop the machine when the crank shaft or rod 15 is turned. Clamps 17 are mounted on the rod 15 and are adapted to be connected with the cross bar B by set screws 18 for holding the rod in operative position.

The mechanism for shifting the belt 19 from the fast pulley 20Vto the loose pulley 21 comprises the needle guard Gr, which is pivotally mounted on the upper side of an upright supporting bracket 22 fastened on the base plate or table of the machine, and which normally engages a notch 23 formed in oneside of a vertically moving spring actuated trip rod 24. rlhe vertically movable trip rod 24 is arranged to work through guide openings in the bracket 22 and the base plate or table of the machine and an actuating spring 25 is arranged thereon below thebase plate which tends toinormally Vmove the rod downward and against the 28 of the machine, and the free end of the latch arm has connected thereto one end of a spring 29 which is weaker than the spring 25, and the other end ofwhichspring 29 is fastened to the under side of the base plate of the machine to provide for normallyholding the arm V26 in an elevated position, so that it will engage in a catch notch 30 formed in the inner end of the shifting rod 31. The shifting rod 31 is suitably supported at one side of the fast and loose pulleys 20 and 21, respectively, which are mounted on the usual drive shaft which imparts motion tothe knitting machine, and said rod 31 is normally moved in one direction by an actuating spring 32 arranged thereon. At a suitable point the rod 31 has connected thereto the usual loop shifting wire 33, which engages the drive belt of the machine to provide for shifting the same from the fast to the loose pulley, and there by providing means for stopping Vthe machine. At this point it will be noted that, while the wire 33 constitutes the belt *shifterY proper, the belt shifting mechanism comprises the group of parts G, 24, 26, 31 and 33.

rIn the operation of the device the parts being in normal position as shown in Fig. 1 with the fabric running smoothly over finger 9 and the lower end of rod 11 resting on arm 8 should a hole occur in the fabric for any reason, the linger 9 will immediately project thereinto and the turning of the fabric will swing the arm 3 laterally, thereby moving v'its inner end from under the rod 11 which immediately drops bythe force of gravity and the tension of the spring 13, whereby the vcrank rod 15 is si- Y l1 is then raised, which permits the spring.

10 to swing the arm 8 back to its normal position with its inner end under the rod 11, whereby the arm 16 of the crank shaft 15 is held out of engagement with the needle guard and the machine may be again started.

1t is thought that the advantages of this improved simple Vdevice will be understood without further explanation, as the disadvantages of dropping stitches and breaks in the fabric which render the goods imperfect are well-known.

Frein the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined and claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a knitting machine having a central stud, of a rod mounted to slide longitudinally in said stud, a pivotally mounted feeler arm carried by said stud and having one end extending transversely across said stud and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane and normally positioned to support said rod, the other end of said arm having a fabric engaging hole detecting finger, a belt shifting mechanism having a trip and means connected with said rod and operable by the downward movement thereof to engage said trip and actuate the belt shifter.

2. In a stop motion for knitting machines the combination with a belt shifting mechanism having a suitable trip, of a vertically slidable stop rod, a feeler arm pivotally engaged intermediate its ends to swing horizontally under and normally support said rod to hold it in raised position, and having a linger for engaging the fabric being knit, and means connected with said rod operable on the downward movement of said rod to actuate said trip and operate the belt shifter.

8. In a stop motion for knitting machines, the combination with belt-shifting mechanism having a suitable trip, of a vertically slidable stop rod, a feeler arm pivoted intermediately of its ends to swing horizontally, one end of said arm extending normally under said rod and holding it in raised position, a hole detecting fabric engaging iinger on the other end of said arm, a crank shaft connected with said rod and adapted to be turned on the downward movement of said rod, and an element adjustably mounted on said shaft positioned to engage said trip on the turning of said shaft and actuate the belt shifter.

4. A stop motion for knitting machines, comprising a plate having an aperture therein for engagement with a center stud of a knitting machine, a curved strip having longitudinal slots at its ends and midway the length thereof, fastening elements passing through said slotted strip ends and engaged with the side edges of said plate for adjustably connecting said strip to said plate and in longitlulinal alinement therewith, a lateraly movable feeler arm pivoted intermediately of its ends to said plate with one end overlapping the aperture in said plate and with the other end extending through the center slot of said strip, a slidable rod resting normally on the inner end of said arm, and means connected with said rod for releasing a belt shifting trip lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT C. GRUBER.

Witnesses I VAL'rnn F. Dimmnnms, I-I. L. Suono.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents, Washington, ZD. C. 

